Yip Yip

Michael Makes a Comeback

Discovery Channel

There was a time that having cable TV meant access to bad stuff you just didn't see on broadcast TV. You know, the stuff that had to be on cable because either it couldn't make it past the sensors or more likely, no one cared enough to watch. Sure there were the good wholesome shows that promoted great family values like Ren and Stimpy, but along with classics like that, came the junk.

Enter today's basic cable. For those who don't have cable or have never been interested in getting it because of the filth, I would suggest that you at least take another look because, things have changed.

Although cable will always provide way more crap than you need, and that's a whole other argument, the only thing you really need is their basic plan. But here's the thing. If you go looking, You're not going to find their basic plan online without without 3 hours of digging and searching. It's just not listed in plan sight if it's even listed at all. It's not a plan advertised and if you are interested in signing up, you need to call and be pretty direct with the sales person. But once they admit to having it, the cost is something like 12 dollars a month.

As the name implies, basic cable doesn't have a whole lot of channels, but it's more than worth it because of two that it does have. The Discovery Channel and The History Channel. Both options provide programing that is not only interesting and informative but it's presented in a way that is fun to watch. Take Myth Busters for example, who hasn't always wanted to know what would happen if you jumped off of a building, onto striped awnings below in an effort to escape from...someone chasing you...on top of a building. Or if a thousand mirrors all pointed at a wood ship, floating 200 yards off shore, could cause it to burst into flames. These are things that you NEED to know.

Now consider todays primetime schedules that are filled with all sorts of shows that I feel uncomfortable watching, let alone with my children in the room. Now I know that there are still some great shows on network TV but having these two channels as an alternative to the crap, makes a huge difference.

That said, here's a great commercial that The Discovery Channel just put out. Seriously, if you don't have it yet. Get it.

A Night of Jazz

Goin' Back to Cali.

When I was quite young and quite small for my size...I remember our first family vacation we took to Disneyland. I can still vividly remember passing through Vegas on our way there during the sleazy Circus Circus Era and seeing this amazing swimming pool above ground with three windows underwater facing the street. I remember my skinny butt sweating and sticking to the vinyl seats as we passed through the desert in our car. It was so hot I rolled down my window and only found hotter air.

Looking back, it seems I remember more about our journey there than the time actually spent in Disneyland. Of the memories I do recall, the distinct smell of the gift shops located outside of Pirates of the Caribbean seem to be the most vivid. Most of all, I remember getting a glow in the dark skull necklace that had a real diamond in one eye and wearing it with a Garfield t-shirt, sans sleeves. It was at that moment I realized what cool really meant. I mean it had a real diamond!

I wish I still had that.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago I had the chance to visit Disneyland all over again for the first time with my wife, kids and a wonderful grandma and grandpa for good measure. It wasn't a long trip but it was sure a great one despite our youngest staying at home with another wonderful grandma and grandpa.

We spent one day at the beach and two days at Disneyland and with no real lines to speak of, we were able to see almost the whole park during our short stay. After spending all of one morning surrounded by little girls with autograph books and face paint, it's important to note what an incredibly patient son we have. Putting up with the fancies of a little sister for as long as he did definitely deserves some sort of metal. Or at least a glow in the dark skull to hang around his neck.

Enjoy the video.

The "Other" March Madness

For those who feel they have a very healthy and normal addiction to the show LOST on ABC, here's a link to the new March Madness Bracket, LOST style.

Spy Hunter

It's nothing new for old ideas used to help sell new product. However it seems like more and more, in both movies and advertising, old video games and old cartoons are finding their way into the hearts and minds of X-ers the world over. Take this ad. As a coworker stated, "I almost want to buy this car...Almost"

I consider that a bold statement when you are talking about a Pontiac.

Take the Awareness Test

The Happy Side of the Tracks

For you Lirpa.

It was a dark and stormy night. Ok not so stormy as much as it was cloudy. Yes. It was a night filled with Large cumulonimbus clouds accented with fluffy mammatus and orographic clouds.

As we approached the windowless building sitting alongside the cold steel railroad tracks, there was a sense of trepidation hanging heavy in the air. Upon reaching the metal front doors of the plain, unassuming cinder block building, the nervous conversation was eventually drowned out by the roaring of Thomas as he passed on his way to meet Sir Topham Hatt.

Once inside the gray edifice, we were greeted with realistic paintings of distant lands so elaborate, guards stood behind thick protective glass keeping watch. As we slowly moved forward, were eventually greeted by a twitchy teenager, obviously empowered by his new found responsibility derived from his new title of Night Manager. This boy with a cracking voice, messy hair and pimples leaned forward and spoke through the hole etched in the magical glass wall. "What, pray thee, is the password?"

Not daring to break eye contact with this guardian of fun, I squeezed my wifes hand as a gesture of reassurance and bravely I stepped forward. Making sure my voice remained steady, true and low I said "Maxwell."

"You may Enter."
"No wait. I need to stamp your hands."

The Paranoid Elephant.

In keeping with the light subjects of conversation, I thought I would add a few thoughts on the subject of politics. Emphasis on this past "Super Tuesday"

To whom it may concern in the Utah Republican Party.

Up until this year, I have to admit there have been only a few occasion where I have not voted for a republican. I have never voted a strait ticket, but it just so happens that the republican, up until now, more closely mirrored my views. However, with the all but nomination of a RINO as your parties national contender and his wantabee running mate, a suck-up from the south, (did you catch that clever wantabee, Huckabee switch?) thanks for giving me more of a reason than ever, not to vote republican this coming November. But enough about what is to come. Let's look at this last Tuesday.

When I got to the polling station, I was faced with a decision before even entering the electronic booth. Whether I wanted to register as a republican just so I could vote for a republican candidate. I will tell you right now, I voted democrat and will continue to vote democrat for one reason.

I am not going to register as a republican just to vote in your primary.

I know it's your party and you make the rules, and deep down in the darkened depths of Utah society you feel the need to control an imaginary force that will, if unchecked corrupt your happy party but here's the deal. You're only giving those like me, with similar values, a reason to vote the other way. And what's to say once I vote for an "evil" candidate on the dark side, that I won't like like it, and feel more comfortable with my decision.

Additionally, if there was a real need to prevent cross party sabotage, who are you really stopping? I mean, how hard would it be for a dedicated "spy" and his elite group of democratic super friends, with their plot to disrupt the pure elephant process, to register as one of you and then, when no one is looking, switch back.

Did you really think this through? Did Orin come up with this idea and everyone else just kind of said, "...yea, senator, like always, thanks for solving a problem that doesn't exist. All in Favor..."

I may have overlooked some important reason for this pathetic rule. But somehow, I don't think so.

Let Me Tell You What Salt Tastes Like.

Earlier this week, I had a friendly conversation with someone on the always mild topic of religion and the existence of God, centering on the absolute existence of right and wrong. During the conversation, the comment was made "Well, who is to say what is right and what is wrong." Now, anyone who has discussed any number of emotionally charged topics will inevitably hear this type of argument when a logical rebuttal of the facts can not be made. It is a cop out and basically states "I don't know the answer but neither do you"

I began to think about how one might logically refute this statement. After all, to claim that you are the person dictating what is right and what is wrong, especially on the topic of religion, at the very least depicts you as arrogant.

The more I thought about this, the more intrigued I became with how one could refute The claim. I have of course encountered many people during my life who have this same question. But how does one explain to someone, with little or no belief in a supreme being, that there is such a thing as right and wrong? How can one explain the flavor of Salt? How can anyone, regardless of their politics, religion or lack there of, claim that anything is right or wrong?

If there is no God and there is no hell and subsequently no right and no wrong, then ask yourself, what is the difference between serving your fellow man and killing him? Is there a difference? Is it because one is wrong and prohibited by a law?

I quote the eloquent master wordsmith C.S. Lewis.

"Human beings, after all, have some sense; they see that you cannot have real safety or happiness except in a society where every one plays fair, and it is because they see this that they try to behave decently. Now, of course,it is perfectly true that safety and happiness can only come from individuals, classes, and nations being honest and fair and kind to each other. It is one of the most important truths in the world. But as an explanation of why we feel as we do about Right and Wrong it just misses the point If we ask: "Why ought I to be unselfish?" and you reply "Because it is good for society," we may then ask, "Why should I care what's good for society except when it happens to pay me personally?" and then you will have to say, "Because you ought to be unselfish"-which simply brings us back to where we started. You are saying what is true, but you are not getting any further. If a man asked what was the point of playing football, it would not be much good saying "in order to score goals," for trying to score goals is the game itself, not the reason for the game, and you would really only be saying that football was football-which is true, but not worth saying. In the same way, if a man asks what is the point of behaving decently, it is no good replying, "in order to benefit society," for trying to benefit society, in other words being unselfish (for "society" after all only means "other people"), is one of the things decent behaviour consists in; all you are really saying is that decent behaviour is decent behaviour. You would have said just as much if you had stopped at the statement, "Men ought to be unselfish.

And that is where I do stop. Men ought to be unselfish, ought to be fair. Not that men are unselfish, nor that they like being unselfish, but that they ought to be. The Moral Law, or Law of Human Nature, is not simply a fact about human behaviour in the same way as the Law of Gravitation is, or may be, simply a fact about how heavy objects behave. On the other hand, it is not a mere fancy, for we cannot get rid of the idea, and most of the things we say and think about men would be reduced to nonsense if we did. And it is not simply a statement about how we should like men to behave for our own convenience; for the behaviour we call bad or unfair is not exactly the same as the behaviour we find inconvenient, and may even be the opposite. Consequently, this Rule of Right and Wrong, or Law of Human Nature, or whatever you call it, must somehow or other be a real thing- a thing that is really there, not made up by ourselves. And yet it is not a fact in the ordinary sense, in the same way as our actual behaviour is a fact. It begins to look as if we shall have to admit that there is more than one kind of reality; that, in this particular case, there is something above and beyond the ordinary facts of men's behaviour, and yet quite definitely real-a real law, which none of as made, but which we find pressing on us.""

An Empty Chair

Like many who heard the news late last Sunday evening that our Prophet had passed away, I was immediately saddened. Not only had the prophet of the church returned home, but we had come to the end of an era. Not an end to the work or to the dynamic growth of The Lord's church, but an end of seeing the smiling face and hearing the quick wit of President Hinkley standing before us as a Prophet of God.

The night before the funeral, a friend of mine with tickets asked if my wife and I would like to attend the funeral the next day. As we stood with the congregation Saturday morning and watched the Hinkley family, apostles and friends enter the conference center and take their seats, the moment that brought me to tears was when Elder Monson and Elder Eyring sat down with one empty chair between them.

Although the words to one of President Hinkley's favorite songs applies more to us as we remember him, I can't help but think "God be with you til' we meet again."

Jasmin

Without so much as a craving for tuna fish and peanut butter or having to deal with morning sickness, we would like to introduce the newest member of our family. Jasmin. As my brother Joel so succinctly put it, "Welcome to the club of people who love their dogs and the friends and family who can't understand why."

Yesterday it finally happened. After a year of promises made and commitments kept, we finally relented to our two oldest kids constant reminders that even though it has a wet nose, rubbing the belly of a fish just isn't the same as playing with a puppy. It all comes one year after caring for a fish that is still living and swimming, albeit much more slowly.

Our new puppy Jasmin is 11 weeks old and a Toy Poodle and Shih Tzu mix, other wise known as a Shih poo. One must take caution when trying to pronounce the name of this bread to others as you may feel as if you have just sworn at the person whom you are talking with.

Anyone have any advice about how to care for a new dog? Any thoughts will be warmly welcomed.

Starting Anew

Welcome to our humble blog.